Latch for folding braces



Dec. 16, 1930. H. J. GILBERT 1,785,343

LATCH FOR FoLDiNG BRACES Filed Sept. 20, 1928 INVENTOR HEJWBYJ GILBERT ATTORNEY forth'in thefclaims',

tongue or keeper. serves as a-thumb larged area thatincludes the gravitational finger or cam.

' The loop portionof the latch furthermore limits the angular movement that isjpermit- 'ted'the latch itself about its pivotal center,

thereby keepingitnormally positioned for engaging and for The loop of the clevis pieceor handle by which the catch can be lifted to disengage it, and

the loop also constitutes afwei'ghtby'which the pivoted catch is" automatically put 1 into engagement whenever the bars 1,2 are so positionedthat gravity can act ongthecatch far? that purpose. Forexa'mple'; "from any inclination with respect to the horizontal, as

disengaging I from" the,

portion engaging the edge of thebar to act as l a stop. J I a 3. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherer in the latch is inthe form of a clevis having a cam memberadapted to gravitationally engage said keeper, and a'loop member for limiting the angular movement ofthe cam, by engagement of said loop member with the bar on Whichit is mounted to serve asa stop for sald cam member; I p

ln'ftestlmony' whereof, -I[' aflix my :signature; 7

- HENRY J. GILBERT.

indicated at A,clear around through angle J a r V 13, say, degrees, the latch will Work automatically by gravity.

InFig. 4 is shown amodifiedform' of latch wherein a'finger 5b is substit'uted'for the cam 7 shown in Fig; 3 and half: ofi'the clevis loop is i dispensed with. ii i ;The purpose of this tratio'n -is toindicate the kind ofvariations that-inaybe' made'in the shape of the'catch Without departing from my invention as set V Essentiallythe' catchls any gravitationally weighted pawl that is mounted on one of the bars-andis capable of a swinging movement in an arc that intercepts the arc of travel pi i the overlapping part la oftheotherb'ar.

i end of the clevis is lifted by hand. Ilhe latch I I will operate inthis'mannerin'any position i 45' ofthe bar 2 within therange indicated by are I 'overlapplngrelation to thejotherbiir, and Q stop means for'l1m1t1ng theimovementside- 55" wise'of said member, a 'keeper'formedin the V end} of sail In operation; the catch 5 hangs freely sus pended'from its pivot on bar 2.**When the v bars are movedinto their aligned position the side edge of-pawl 5 rides over the outer cornertaand across-the top edge of -keeper 4, g 1 and the outer edge 5000f the pawl drops down behind the other corner shot the keeper, thus locking it, q 12 iv vTo re lea sethecatch, the loop or depending B; or approximately two hundred twenty de; grees'; Y -.L '7 'Havingthus described my invention, what I V I claim and desire to secure by'LettersPat ent is;

approximately two hundred twenty 1. In abracecomprisingtwo bars pivotally ]0ined=,,one;hav1ng an extension member-uni J 5;:

r ember; a pivotallyifmounted gravitational latch on the second bar'whose' path of angular "movement intercepts the path of angular'movement of thelreeper.

" in the latch is in the tions engagingboth sides of the'bar on-which itismountedandhaving aconnectin'g-loop :7:

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